Means for controlling the rear lamp of motor vehicles



Oct. 26, 1937. J. F. BATES 2,097,014

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE REAR LAMP OF MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l a- J? 29 4 26 5 M 51 15 23 15 1a ,22 yr e-or 'M WW Oct. 26, 1937. J. F. BATES 2,097,014

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE REAR LAMP OF MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 27, 3,937 2 sheets' sheet 2 Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE REAR LAMP F MOTOR VEHICLES James Frederick Bates, Johnsonville, New Zealand 1 Claim.

This invention relates to means for controlling the tail light of motor vehicles in order to meet the requirement of trafiic regulations.

In some countries traffic regulations provide that the tail light must be such that it cannot be switched off from the drivers seat, or by inside control, but that it can only be switched off from the exterior at the rear of the vehicle.

The object of the present invention is to enable the tail light to be switched on from the interior of the vehicle when the head lamps of the vehicle are switched on, but not to be switched off when the head lamps are switched oiT.

According to the present invention, means are provided whereby the tail light will be lit by and through the dash board control when the light switch thereon is actuated to turn on the vehicle head lamps. The means are of such a nature that when the tail light is once switched on, it cannot be switched all except by operation from the exterior and rear of the vehicle, thus entailing the need of the motorist to stop and alight for that purpose.

5 Examples of carrying out the invention will be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a vehicle showing the position of the magnetic switch and of the switch for extinguishing the tail light.

Figure 2 is a diagram of the electrical circuits.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the magnetic switch.

Figure is a section of the rear switch.

Figure 5 is a view showing the position of the device on a vehicle when a modified construction is employed.

Figure 6 is a diagram of the electrical circuits of the modified form of the device.

Figure 7 is a plan partly in section showing a construction for carrying out the modified device.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figures 1 to 4, a potential coil I has one end connected to the circuit of the head lights 2 on the headlight side of the light switch 3 by a wire 4 and has its other end earthed to the vehicle frame by a wire 5. A series coil 6 which would conveniently be wound on the exterior of the coil I (as in Figure 3) in the well-known manner of relays has one end I connected to a contact arm 8 which is the nature of an armature and is placed in relation to the coils so that it is magnetically sensitive to them. One end of the arm 8 is pivotally supported as indicated diagrammatically at 9 (Figure 2) and the other end of the arm has a contact Ii! adapted to make or break connection with a contact II from which leads a wire I2 to the tail lamp I3 which is earthed to the vehicle frame in the usual way. The other end of the coil 6 is connected by a wire I4 to a wire I5 which is connected to the wire I6 from the battery I1, and which extends to the rear of the vehicle to a contact I8 with which a normally open spring operated contact switch arm I9 (see Figure 4) is adapted to make contact. Another wire 20 leads from the contact I I to the switch arm I 9 and forms, with the wire I5 and arm I9, a normally open circuit which becomes a shunt path around the coil 6 when the switch arm I9 is closed. The switch arm I9 is contained in a casing 2| (see Figure 4.) through which a push rod 22 is slidable but normally held away from the arm I9 by means of a coil spring 23 in compression between the casing 2! and the button 24 on the end of the rod, the two wires I5 and 20 being attached to insulated terminals for the contacts I8 and IS in the casing 2|.

The casing 2I would be attached to a convenient rear part of the vehicle near the tail light (see Figure 1) so that the push button 24 can be readily operated when the light is to be switched off.

In Figure 3 the magnetic switch is shown, the connecting wires which correspond to those in the diagram having the same numerals as the lines in the diagram. This switch consists of a soft iron core 25 mounted on a base plate 26 and having the coils I and 6 wound thereon in the usual way. The coil I is connected by a wire 4 to a plate 29 from which wire 4 leads, this plate being separated from plate 25 by insualtion, while the other end of the coil is earthed to the plate 26 by wire 5, the plate 25 being in metal contact with the cover 35 which in turn will be in metal contact with the vehicle frame. One end of the coil 6 is connected by the wire 1 to a bracket 21 separated from the plate 26 by insulation 28, while the other end of the coil 6 has a wire I4 leading to a terminal (H to which is connected the wire I5. The contact arm 8 is yieldingly connected to the bracket 2l by a flat spring 32 in order to give it the required pivotal motion. tact I0 out of contact with the contact H. The contact II is mounted on a member 33 attached to the base plate 26, but insulated therefrom by the insulation 28 and connected to a plate 34 from wh ch the wires 12 and 20 lead. This switch The spring normally retains the conwould preferably be placed under the bonnet of the vehicle as indicated at 36 in Figure l, and supported in any convenient manner.

The operation is. as fo1lows:- V

V fhen the main light switch 3 is closed the circuit for the head lamps 2 is completed. At the same time the circuit from the battery. I 7 through the switch 3, wire 4, coil 5, and earth wire 5 is also closed, whereupon current flowing through the coil I will energize the core 25 which will attract the arm 8 and close the contacts l0 and I I, thereby completing a circuit from the battery by means of the wire l5, wire I4, coil 6, arm 8,

wire 2, to the tail light l3.

Should the head lamps now be turned off by opening the switch 3, the tail light circuit will not be affected owing to the fact that, although current no longer flows through the coil 1, the current continues to flow through the coil 6 and contacts l6 and H to the tail light l3 and keeps the core 25 energized and so retains the arm 8' in its attracted position and the circuit to the tail light unbroken. V

Before it is possible to switch off the tail light the push button 24 at the back of the vehicle must be pressed, thereby bringing the arm I8 into connection with contact [8, whereupon the shunt circuit from battery I! is formed through wire I5, switch'arm i9, wire 20, wire l2, to the 7 through the coil 6 being now not sufiicient to retain the arm in its attracted position, the path through contacts H and I2 is broken. Upon the 7 press button 24 being released the spring arm i9 in the casing 50, and through the centre of which passes'a tubular iron core 42. AnarmatureliS projects into one end' of the tube 42 and is pivotally attached to a contact arm 44 (generic with arm 8), which is centrally pivoted on a pin 45 in the casing. The arm has contact ends 46 and 47* which are adapted to' turn respectively into contact with spring grip contact terminals '48 and a 49 fixed in the casing. A rod 50 from the armature extends through the coil.

A sliding push rod 5! in line with the rod 50 is guided in a socket 52 and under tension of a coil spring 53 which is suflicientto retainthe rod in an outward position limited by a pin 53 but which will prevent it being shaken into closed position by vibrations in running.

The contact terminal is connected by a, wire 54 to the battery 55 (see Figure 6) while the terminal i9 is connected by a wire 56 to the tail light 57 which is earthed to the vehicle frame.

Another arm 53 is pivoted on a pin 59 in the casing and has a contact end iii) to enter spring grip contacts 6% to which one end of. the coil M is wired. The arm 58 is earthed to the casing by means of a flex 82. The other end of the solenoid 'coil H is connected by a wire 53 to the light switch M on the instrument board or the vehicle. Both the arms Ml and 5-8 would be formed of insulating material, the contact ends 43 and 5? being connected by a Wire M The circuit can be followed from Figure 6.

When the light switch 5:; is operated to switch on the vehicle lamps the circuit is completed from the battery 55 along wire 6-3 to the coil 4!, contacts 6i and iii! to earth. The current, however, in passing through the coil has energized the core and drawn the armature 33 inwards and operatedthe pivoted contact arm 44, so that its 7 contact ends will engage the spring contacts 38 and 49, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 7, thus forming a path for current to flow from the battery through the wire 4e and wire 56 to the tail light 5?; This movement of the rod 56 has also operated the arm 58 out of engagement with the spring contact grips 6i and broken the circuit a through the coil, the rod 50, and arm M remaining in the position shown in dotted lines by virtue of the contact ends of the arm being gripped by.

the spring contactsAS and 49. Upon the head lamp circuit now being broken by the operation of the switch 6 3, the circuit from the battery through the contacts it and 4'! to the tail light is not affected. In order to disconnect the arm as the push rod 5! must be pressed and this movement will operate the rod 50 and rock the arm A l clear of the contacts 48 and 49, and also cause the arm 58 to reconnect with the contact 6! What I claim is:

In means for controlling the tail light of motor 7 vehicles, an'electro-magne'tic coil, a contact arm controlled by saidcoil' to close contacts connected to the battery and to the tail light, saidcoil being energized by current from the battery through the light switch, means to retain said arm in circuit closing position, said retaining means consisting of an electro-magnetic coil to attract said arm, said coil' being connected to the battery on the battery side of the light switch so that the current will continue to pass to the coil after'the, light switch is" opened and thereby retain said arm in a position whereby the said contacts remain closed and the circuit to the tail light unbroken ,'and a normally open control switch arranged exteriorly of thevehicle body and connected on' one hand to the battery and on the other hand to the tail light between the latter and said contacts, the closing of said switch shunting out the second mentioned .coil to release said arm and open the contacts, and retaining the tail light operative in case of jamming of said switch, said tail light also being maintained inoperative condition irrespective of said control switch as long as the second mentioned coil is energized.

JAMES FREDERICK BATES." 

